


We Need To Talk

by diangelonnico



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-21
Updated: 2014-05-21
Packaged: 2018-01-26 00:46:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1668563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/diangelonnico/pseuds/diangelonnico
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy decides him and Nico need to talk. He decides he's going to take care of him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Percy sat down across from Nico di Angelo. ‘We need to talk.’ He said.

Nico looked down at his uneaten plate of food in front of him, then he looked Percy in the eye. ‘Did Jason put you up to this? Or was it Annabeth? Maybe Hazel?’ He asked with a slight smirk on his face. He was pissed off and he didn’t want to talk to Percy freaking Jackson.

Percy pouted and looked at Nico with his endearing –beautiful – puppy dog eyes. ‘I came myself. I just thought maybe, if we can get past all the bad blood, that maybe we could be friends. You know, sort stuff out.’ He exhaled.

Nico sighed. ‘It was Hazel wasn’t it.’

Percy sighed too. ‘Yeah,’ He gave in. ‘but I do want to talk, I do want to sort things out.’ He continued.

Nico didn’t. ‘Well, I’m kind of busy today. I can’t right now.’

‘That’s okay.’ Percy said. ‘We can meet later this week, in a coffee shop or something.’

‘Can’t you just IM me?’ Nico asked, at least he could sort of lie there.

‘No. I want to talk to you face to face.’ Percy demanded.

Nico made a face.

‘Nico, why do you hate me so much?’

‘I don’t hate you.’ Nico said innocently. ‘Fine, I’ll meet you for coffee tomorrow. Promise.’

Percy agreed a time and place, happy with his achievements then he got up and started walking away. Then he realised that Nico might not actually show up, so before he left he made him swear on the Styx. Nico had grudgingly agreed to, which put a smile on Percy’s face and a frown on Nico’s.

The next day, Percy walked into the coffee shop, five minutes late, and found Nico sitting by the window watching the rain fall as if he felt sorry for the window being hammered with the water. The kid looked seriously worried and upset.

‘Hey.’ Percy smiled as he sat down in the booth opposite Nico. There was two cups of coffee on the table, one with Nico’s thin pale hands wrapped round it, and one he was now pushing towards Percy.

‘I brought you a coffee.’ Nico said, his voice hoarse as if he’d been crying.

‘Thank you.’ Percy told him. He studied Nico’s face for a moment. ‘What’s wrong?’ He asked, because the way Nico looked something was clearly wrong.

‘Nothing.’

‘Are you worried about talking things through?’

Silence.

‘yes.’ Nico admitted. ‘Very.’

‘Don’t be.’ Percy said. Then he laughed. ‘I’m scared too.’

‘Where do we start?’ Nico asked.

‘I don’t know. But if we’re going to actually patch things up we can’t have secrets. We tell each other absolutely everything, okay?’

Nico hesitated. ‘Okay.’

‘Do I need to make you swear on the Styx?’ Percy asked, knowing Nico’s tendancy to maybe not do as he asked.

‘No. I promise. Do I need to make you swear on the Styx?’

‘No, I won’t keep any secrets.’ Percy promised.

Nico looked nervous and like he wasn’t going to say anything any time soon so Percy decided to start. ‘I want to say sorry. I want to say sorry for all the times I’ve ignored you and all the horrible things I’ve caused to happen to you.’ He started. He went on to explain how bad he felt and how he would try his best and about the past four years and the rocks they’d had to get over. Percy unloaded everything onto Nico, he told him everything.

When he had finished he took a deep breath. ‘That’s everything. It feels good to get it off my chest.’ Percy breathed. Nico just looked at him, trying to process everything Percy had just said.

After a few minutes of silence, Nico closed his eyes took a deep breath and said, ‘We agreed, no secrets right?’ He asked then without waiting for an answer, ‘I’m gay. And I had a massive crush on you for ages.’

Percy stared at him. He was not expecting that. ‘Well, if I’m being honest.’ Nico continued. ‘I may still have a crush on you.’ Then Nico hid his face. ‘I’m sorry. Maybe it was better to keep that one as a secret. Forget any of what I said today. Yeah, forget it.’

Nico tried to get up to leave but Percy stopped him. ‘Sit.’ He demanded. ‘I don’t care if you’re gay Nico. I don’t care if you have a crush on me. I care that you’re my friend and that you feel as if you can tell me stuff like that. Does anyone else know? That your gay, not about the crush.’

‘Only Jason… aswell as many various different gods, but they’re gods, they don’t count because they know everything anyway.’

‘True.’ Percy mused. ‘How come Jason knows?’

Nico looked down ‘I don’t like to talk about it.’

‘You didn’t make a move on him did you?’

‘Gods Percy, do I look the kinda guy that would make a move on someone like Jason Grace?’

‘No. How did he find out then?’

‘We, er, ran into Cupid on a quest, while you and Annabeth were ya know.’ Nico pointed down and Percy nodded. ‘And er, I was forced to admit my feelings. I don’t really like to talk about it.’

‘Oh.’ Percy said. He didn’t really know what else to say, so he decided to change the subject. ‘Did you see that new marvel movie? The Avengers? Everyones talking about it’ Percy said, in need of something to say.

Nico looked relieved that he had changed the subject and he even smiled slightly. ‘No. But I used to read the marvel comics when I was little.’ He mused. ‘When they first came out, my mother used to buy them for me. Bianca hated them, but I loved them.’ He carried on.

‘The marvel comics came out decades ago’ Percy exclaimed the realised ‘Oh… yeah, never mind, sorry.’

‘It’s fine.’ Nico sighed. ‘I don’t seem like I’m from the thirties. It all feels like a dream, everything I remember from back then. It doesn’t feel like it actually happened. It’s weird.’ He told Percy. ‘I’d like to watch that movie.’ He smiled.

‘Do you wanna borrow the DVD?’ Percy asked. He got up and they walked out the café having finished their coffees. ‘Wait, do you know what a DVD is?’ He asked.

‘Yes Percy, I know what a DVD is. I’m not as out of touch as Hazel is. Anyway, the underworld has a surprisingly big DVD collection.’ Nico smiled.

‘Is that what you do all day then? Sit and watch DVD’s, in a room with a window overlooking punishment?’ Percy joked.

Nico looked at him sceptically. ‘Sometimes.’ Then he laughed. ‘It’s getting late, I’m going home.’ He continued. Then he looked at Percy. ‘I … erm … I enjoyed this. It’s nice, having someone to talk to, getting it all off my chest.’

Percy smiled and it lit up his whole face. ‘I’d really like to meet up and talk again. Maybe we can be friends.’ He said.

‘Maybe.’ Nico said to no-one in particular and off he went, through the shadows to who knows where.


	2. Chapter 2

In the past year, Percy and Nico had become best friends. They had absolutely no secrets and talked at least once every week. Nico was still fleeting, with his short visits and vague explanations but he was there a lot more. He was happier a lot more too. Percy couldn’t believe that their relationship could do a complete 360 in less than a year, but it had, and he was so glad.

Nico was stood at the door of the apartment that Percy shared with Annabeth. Percy and Nico had only spoken on the phone yesterday; he didn’t say anything about coming to visit. He looked tired and like he had been in the same clothes for a few days, if not a week. He had a shaggy black backpack on his back, that was basically falling apart and his sword was hanging by his side as always.

He looked down at the floor when Percy answered the door, as if he was embarrassed. ‘Hey, Nico. I didn’t know you were in New Rome.’

‘I wasn’t planning to be. Look …’ Nico looked down at the floor again. ‘Would it be okay if I stayed here tonight, I don’t have anywhere else to go.’ He said sadly.

‘of course!’ Percy said and moved to let him in. ‘I’ll get you the spare bedroom made up.’ He promised.

‘No, no, it’s okay, I can take the couch. I don’t mind.’ Nico said.

‘No. I’m making up the spare bed. I insist you use it.’ Percy insisted.

Nico didn’t say anything, because no matter how much of a burden he was being, a night spend in a real, proper bed would be very nice, he couldn’t really remember what it felt like, he spent so much time skipping from place to place he didn’t really look after himself, he didn’t know how to. He was only fifteen.

‘You can stay as long as you like Nico.’ Percy told him before he went to make the bed.

‘Well … would it be okay if I maybe stayed for … a couple of days?’

‘Of course Nico, you’re always welcome here.’ Percy made sure Nico knew. He looked at Nico eyeing the fridge. ‘When was the last time you had something to eat?’ Percy asked.

‘I don’t know, a day, or two?’

Percy looked at Nico unimpressed. ‘When was the last time you had a proper meal?’ He asked.

‘Last time I was at Hazels.’ Nico awnsered.

‘And when was the last time you were at Hazel’s?’

‘Not long ago.’ Nico said, hiding something.

‘How long?’ Percy demanded.

‘Two weeks?’ Nico winced, actually telling him the truth.

‘Right. Nico that’s not good for you. You need to take care of yourself. When was the last time you had a shower? The last time you slept in a proper bed?’ Percy questioned.

Nico looked down and awnsered timidly ‘When I was at Hazel’s. I did take a dip in the river on my way to dispatch that stupid spirit back to the underworld.’ He added.

‘Get your clothes off and get in the shower.’ Percy demanded. ‘I’ll cook you dinner and get new clothes laid out for you in the spare bedroom. The shampoo and shower gels in the white cupboard in the bathroom.’ Percy explained. Nico just stood there. ‘Now.’

Nico turned round and went into the bathroom. Eventually, Percy heard the water running. Percy was determined to take care of Nico, because he obviously didn’t know how to do it himself. He set some pasta on to cook and some sauce to heat and he went to go and find Nico some clothes. First he looked in Nico’s back pack, but all that was in there was a small lump of ambrosia, an uneaten apple, a pair of boxers and a shredded, blood stained t-shirt. Percy sighed. He put the t-shirt in the bin and decided he better wash the boxers. He found some of his old clothes, a pair of jeans, a blue t-shirt and and some underwear, that would probably fit Nico and laid it out on the spare bed. He decided that he would go shopping later and buy Nico some new clothes.

Percy went back to check on the pasta and just as he was about to plate it up, Nico came wondering through. He’d rolled the jeans up at the bottom since they were too big and the t-shirt was quite baggy on him. ‘It was the best I could manage.’ Percy told him.

‘Thanks.’ Nico muttered. ‘You didn’t have to give me your clothes.’

‘Yes, I did.’ Percy put down the plate of tomato pasta infront of Nico on the breakfast counter. ‘now eat.’ He commanded.

Nico sat down on the stool and muttered ‘I might need a fork.’

‘Oh, yeah.’ Percy laughed. He got Nico a fork and leaned his elbows on the counter across from Nico.

‘Where’s Annabeth?’ Nico asked, a mouthful of food halfway through being chewed.

‘At college.’ Percy replied.

‘Oh. When’s she back?’ Nico asked.

‘Soon, should be about now.’ Percy responded, and his comment was followed by the click of a key in the lock of the front door. Annabeth came through into the kitchen/living area with a handful of textbooks and put them down next to Nico on the counter. ‘Hey Nico.’ She smiled at him and then looked at Percy. ‘Any pasta for me?’ She said slightly out of breath from carrying all them books up two flights of stairs. Percy and Annabeth didn’t take elevators anymore, not after the doors of death.

‘Maybe.’ Percy teased. ‘It’s not even tea time.’ He exclaimed looking at the clock.

‘How come you cooked Nico pasta then?’ Annabeth asked, laughing.

Percys face turned serious and Nico stayed silent, eating his pasta. ‘Because Nico hasn’t eaten anything in two days, and he hasn’t eaten a proper meal in two weeks.’ Percy explained solemnly.

‘Nico!’ Annabeth hissed. ‘You need to look after yourself properly.’

Nico looked at his almost empty plate awkwardly. They were silent for a few minutes. Finally Nico finished his pasta and Percy washed his plate.

‘I think you should go to bed.’ He told Nico.

‘It’s four o clock Percy!’ Nico retorted.

‘And it’s been a long time since you’ve slept.’ Percy fired back.

‘You’re not my mother Percy.’

‘Yes, but I care about you so go to bed.’

‘Fine.’ Nico huffed and stormed off. He slammed the door to the spare bedroom and then two minutes later Percy saw the light go out from under the door.

‘How come Nico’s staying?’ Annabeth asked Percy in a hushed voice once Nico was shut in the spare room.

‘He showed up at the door looking almost dead, he said he didn’t have anywhere else to go and asked if he could stay for the night. I said he could stay for as long as he wanted. He said he might stay two nights.’ Percy explained.

‘He can stay forever if he needs to.’ Annabeth said.

‘I know he can. We need to buy him some new clothes. All he had on him were the clothes on his back, some ambrosia, an apple, a spare pair of underwear and a blood stained t-shirt. I worry about him.’ Percy said.

‘We’ll go out and buy him some new clothes now then.’ Annabeth decided. ‘Do you think he’ll be okay on his own?’

‘Yeah.’ Percy said unsurely.

‘You don’t sound convinced.’ Annabeth called him out.

‘He’ll be fine.’ Percy agreed.

And they went. They brought Nico five new t-shirts, three pairs of jeans, a pair of trackies, two hoodies, a pair of converse, some underwear and three pairs of pyjamas. Annabeth decided to buy him a comic book too since Percy had mentioned he used to like the marvel comics when he was little.

‘What if he doesn’t like them? What if he refuses them?’ Percy fretted on the way home.

‘I’ll make him take them. We didn’t spend seventy dollars on him for nothing.’ Annabeth said determinedly.

When they got back, she snuck into the spare room and put the clothes on the end of the bed in a neatly folded pile with the comic book on top. She took the clothes he had been wearing when he showed up to wash them and she put a drink of water on the bedside table next to him. She closed the door quietly when she went. She felt so unbelievably sorry for Nico, he was barely fifteen and he was out in the world with no-one to take care of him, so she and Percy would take care of him.


	3. Chapter 3

Nico woke up to sunlight streaming through the thin curtains. He didn’t have any nightmares that night, perhaps because it was the first time he’d slept in a proper bed for a few weeks. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. He didn’t have that first half asleep disorientated ‘where am I?’ moments like it was always described in books when someone woke up in an unfamiliar place. He knew straight away that he was in Percy and Annabeth’s spare room.

He noticed that there was a pile of stuff at the end of the bed that had not been there last night. He climbed out of bed to investigate. They had better not have spent any money on him. On top of the pile was a marvel comic book. Nico smiled at that, it had been months ago, when him an Percy first started to patch things up, that Nico had mentioned comic books. He hadn’t read one since he was nine. He sifted through the pile and found mostly clothes, all new, but his old clothes that he had been wearing weren’t there. He frowned.

Then he smiled because he didn’t care about his old clothes anymore. He couldn’t believe someone had done something this nice for him. No-one had ever done anything like this for him; it must have cost them a fortune. He decided to put on some of the new clothes, and they fit him perfectly. 

He wondered out the bedroom to find Percy and Annabeth sat at the breakfast bar, a bacon bun in front of each of them, and one in front of the empty stool. ‘Here comes sleeping beauty.’ Percy joked.

Nico made a face at him. ‘How long was I asleep?’ He asked suddenly worried.

‘About 16 hours’ Annabeth told him. ‘I see the clothes fit.’ She smiled.

‘Yeah, thank you by the way. And thanks for the comic book too. I hope it all didn’t cost too much, I don’t want you guys spending money on me.’ He said.

‘It’s fine Nico. Who else are we gonna spend our money on?’ Annabeth asked him.

‘I don’t know, not me.’ Nico mumbled. Then he looked up at her. ‘Where did my old clothes go?’ He asked.

‘I put them in the wash. They’re drying now.’ Annabeth explained. ‘Sit down and eat some breakfast.’ She said as she patted the stool next to her.

Nico sat and ate. ‘Why are you doing all this for me?’ He asked between mouthfuls.

‘because we care about you.’ Percy replied. ‘we love you, like a little brother.’ He continued.

‘Really?’ Nico asked in disbelief.

‘Yeah.’ Percy and Annabeth said simultaneously.

‘No-ones ever done anything this nice for me before.’ Nico mumbled into his plate.

Percy and Annabeth shared a concerned glance.

‘Nico.’ Percy said after a little while.

‘Yeah?’ Nico awnsered.

‘Me and Annabeth have been talking, last night.’ Percy continued and Nico looked at him worriedly. What if they kicked him out? ‘And … we wanted to know, is it only these few nights you have no where to go or is it all the time? Tell us the truth Nico.’

Nico didn’t say anything. Then he whispered ‘most of the time.’

‘Well, we wanted to know, if you’d like to live here, with us. We have two spare rooms and it wouldn’t hurt if you used one permanently.’ Percy explained.

‘Are you sure?’ Nico asked.

Percy and Annabeth both nodded.

‘I mean, that’s kind of a big deal.’ Nico continued. ‘I can’t pay you or anything.’

‘We’re not asking you to pay us.’ Annabeth told him.

‘You can pay us with smiles.’ Percy beamed.

Nico frowned.

‘Or frowns.’ Percy tagged on cheerily seeing Nico’s facial expression.

‘Er … thank you… yes. I would really appreciate that. You can kick me out whenever you want.’ Nico answered.

‘We won’t kick you out Nico. Never.’ Annabeth said and Percy nodded in agreement.

‘Thank you’ Nico said again, quietly. ‘Thank you so much. This means the world to me.’ He said as a silent tear rolled down his cheek.

‘Don’t cry Nico.’ Annabeth whispered gently. ‘You’re gonna make me cry too.’ She said as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Percy smiled and even he started crying. He engulfed both Nico and Annabeth in a hug and they all cried, tears of happiness. ‘Damn it Nico, you’ve made us all cry.’ Annabeth scolded him.

‘Sorry.’ Nico said quietly. ‘Thank you.’ He whispered. He was never going to stop saying thank you. Percy and Annabeth didn’t know how much this meant to him, how happy it made him feel, to know that someone cared about him, that someone didn’t mind having him around. Even for Bianca he was a burden, an extra person to look after, but now, for Percy and Annabeth he was a friend, someone they liked having around and they’d even asked him to stay. He smiled the biggest smile he’d smiled in years, since he was a careless ten year old.

‘I haven’t seen that smile in five years.’ Percy whispered and Nico smiled wider.

______

Things were good and things were bad. It wasn’t easy living with Nico di Angelo. Nico di Angelo who sometimes wouldn’t eat for days on end, Nico who sometimes wouldn’t sleep for days on end, Nico who sometimes wouldn’t get out of bed for days on end, Nico who would sometimes disappear for days on end without telling you where he was going. Percy and Annabeth were basically his parents now and they worried about him all the time. They were only nineteen and taking care of a fifteen year old boy prone to terrible mood swings (that were possibly more than just mood swings) was the hardest thing they’d ever done. But for every bad day, there were a week or more of good days and the good days were definitely worth it.

Percy and Annabeth got to know Nico really well, something that had been a mystery before. They learnt that he liked to read fiction books, in Italian because his dyslexia was worse with English. They learnt that he like sci-fi movies and that he liked superhero movies. They learnt that he hated any kind of music and that he still found technology confusing. They learnt that he loved Hazel more than anything in the entire world and he talked to her on the phone every night without fail. They learnt that Nico knew everything there is to know about Greek mythology and almost everything about roman mythology. They learnt that he once socked Octavian in the jaw for blackmailing Hazel and that he only managed to get Hazel out the underworld alive because the furies felt sorry for him.

Annabeth went to Uni during the week and Percy worked excluding Mondays but he did work Saturdays, something to do with the beach in San Francisco. Nico wasn’t exactly sure what he did but the got decent pay. Nico just hung around the apartment most days. Sometimes he went travelling, to some city or other but he didn’t have much money so once he got there he couldn’t really do anything. Percy and Annabeth fed him and clothed him and brought him stuff but he didn’t like asking, he hated asking.

Sometimes Annabeth brought him books. She realised all the books he got were in Italian and one day he went through to his bedroom to find a pile of books, all in Italian. ‘Were did you get these from?’ He asked Annabeth who was behind him.

‘I ordered them off the internet, I thought you might like a crime drama.’ She replied.

‘Thank You.’ He told her. He even smiled too.

That was a good day, but Annabeth knew that a bad day was probably coming soon, there had been too many good days for it to carry on like this. You see, living with Nico for that long, she noticed a pattern. A lot of good days, a bad day, a lot of good days, a bad day and so on. She didn’t really know what to do about it, and she suspected Percy hadn’t noticed yet.

It was the middle of December when the bad day came. Nico said he was sick, but he wasn’t because the ambrosia Percy gave him didn’t make him better. He wouldn’t get out of bed, but he wasn’t sleeping, his eyes were open fixed on a spot on the wall.

‘Nico, do you want anything to eat?’ Percy asked him sweetly from behind the door.

‘No.’ Nico rasped.

‘Why not?’

‘I just don’t.’ Nico replied angrily. Percy made him some toast anyway and tiptoed into the room and put it on the bedside table while Nico was sleeping (or Percy thought he was sleeping, he wasn’t, he was thinking). Nico didn’t eat it, and he didn’t eat the sandwich Percy made him at lunchtime either. He didn’t even touch the water Percy gave him.

At about 2 Percy had had enough. He knocked on the door and without waiting for an answer he went in and sat on the end of Nico’s bed. ‘Are you not gonna get out of bed?’ He asked.

‘No.’ Nico sulked.

‘Why not?’ Percy asked soothingly looking down at the bundle of covers that was Nico di Angelo. ‘What’s wrong Nico?’

‘I don’t know.’ Nico said, his voice detached as if he had been crying. ‘I just … I can’t do it anymore.’

‘Do what Nico?’

‘Life.’ Nico breathed. ‘Fighting monsters and nightmares and hiding and I can’t anymore, I don’t want to anymore.’

‘You have to Nico. What are you hiding from?’ Percy asked

‘Myself.’ Nico said into his pillow. ‘Everyone.’

‘Well, how about, not hide?’ Percy offered.

‘It’s not that easy.’ Nico replied. He sounded so sad. He sat up then. ‘It’s never easy Percy.’ He whispered, looking at Percy with his big brown eyes, tear stains down his cheeks.

‘Have you been crying all day?’ Percy asked. Nico only nodded. Percy’s face twisted with worry. ‘You know, you can tell me anything Nico. And I don’t think you’re telling me the real problem.’

‘I’m not.’ Nico admitted.

‘What is it?’ Percy asked, then he scooted under the covers to sit next to Nico. ‘What’s the matter?’

Nico sobbed. ‘Why do you care?’

Percy thought for a fraction of a second. ‘Because I love you, you’re like a little brother to me Nico, and I care about you.’ Percy confessed.

‘But I’m not your little brother. I’m some weirdo that lives with you because you feel sorry for me.’ Nico said. ‘You only care about me because you promised Bianca you would, because you didn’t care about me when I needed it most. Because now, I’ve picked up the pieces and put them back together, something you couldn’t do, and I don’t even know if you’re trying to keep them together or if you’re breaking them apart again. You don’t really care Percy, you feel a duty to care so you do, just like Jason.’

‘I care about you because you’re my friend Nico. Tell me what’s wrong or I’ll call Hazel.’ Percy threatened. Whenever Nico had days like this, where he just wanted to accuse the whole world of doing everything wrong, Percy always threatened to call Hazel because he knew that Hazel would make Nico see that no-one had done anything wrong, and he knew that Nico didn’t want Hazel to see him like this.

‘No. Don’t call Hazel. She can’t see me like this.’ Nico said softly.

‘Well, tell me whats wrong, and accept that I do care about you and I do love you, and so does Annabeth so don’t ever doubt it for one second. Would I sit here, in bed with you while you cried and listen to your problems if I didn’t care about you?’

‘No.’ Nico said.

‘Do you care about me?’

‘Yes. I do. I always have … even when it seems like I don’t, I do.’

‘Even when it seems like I don’t, I do, when I didn’t, really I did. What’s wrong?’ Percy pressed.

‘What if, what if, what if Hazel doesn’t want to see me again, what if she doesn’t love me anymore, when I, when I tell her?’ Nico sobbed heartbreakingly.

‘Is that what’s wrong?’ Percy thought it was something way bigger. ‘Hazel will love you for exactly who you are. She already loves you, why would something silly like you being gay affect that?’

‘Because, Percy, where I’m from, the time I’m from … it’s not okay. And I’m worried Hazel still thinks that. I’m worried she won’t accept me because of the way we were brought up back then.’ Nico explained.

‘She won’t love you any less.’ Percy reassured him. ‘I promise.’

‘You don’t know that.’ Nico said.

‘Yes I do. Now I think you should get out of bed, maybe get your mind off things.’ Percy said.

‘Okay.’ Nico said depressingly. ‘I’m gonna get a shower.’ He mumbled.

Percy wondered off to make Nico something to eat and when he came from the shower, he ate it. They sat at the dining room table until Annabeth got home, (it was a Monday). Annabeth came in with a smile on her face. ‘Guess what!’ She said excitedly.

‘What?’ Percy and Nico said at exactly the same time, causing them both to smile.

‘You know how I’ve been doing the Architecture programme thing at Uni, yeah, well today I got offered a job! Decent pay and I’d get Tuesdays and Sundays off.’ She said and went to explain the details.

‘That’s great!’ Percy said and got up to hug her.

‘I’m happy for you.’ Nico said, putting on a smile. They went out later, for something to eat. Nico didn’t get anything, even though it had been three hours since Percy cooked him some pasta. Percy wasn’t happy that Nico was refusing to eat but he couldn’t force him. It had been a bad day, but that meant good days for a while, hopefully a long while.

**Author's Note:**

> R & R very welcome! I love to hear what you thought :)


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